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Stories
May 7, 2023

Married at 14, then divorced; Reshma earns BDT 40 lakh a year

Suraiya Farhana Reshma of Shajahanpur in Bogura district got married at the age of 14. She was eighth grader back then. Her marriage was not a happy one. Her husband was a drug addict and gambler. After living with him for four years, Reshma returned to her mother and started agricultural ventures on land inherited from her mother and grandmother. Upon completing a training in 2014, she started dealing in vermicompost. She said, “I couldn’t maintain records of my transactions. The officials of the Department of Youth Development and GUK (a local NGO) taught me how to keep books.”

Currently, there are 200 concrete rings used for processing earthworms, a key ingredient of vermicompost, at her farm. There are another 200 fruit baskets she uses for this. In addition, she received a fresh grant from the RMTP (Rural Microenterprise Transformation) project funded by PKSF and IFAD for purchasing necessary machines and started making trico-compost.

Currently, she is producing about 30 tonnes of vermicompost every month. This fertilizer is sold wholesale at BDT 10 per kg from home and at BDT 15 per kg online via her facebook page named Reshma Krishi Udyog. There are 25 cows in her farm. Six cows give 35 kg of milk per day. She sells milk at BDT 50 per kg. There are 15 goats, 120 ducks, and more than 200 native chickens, pigeons in her farm where she also farms fish and cultivates paddy and safe vegetables. The total amount of her land including the house is six bighas (about 2 acres).

Reshma net profit per annum stands at around BDT 40 lakhs, excluding all expenses. Her current capital is over BDT 1 crore. Reshma has provided employment to 16 women at her farm. She has inspired about two dozen women around to become entrepreneurs, creating self-employment opportunities. Reshma received the ‘National Youth Award-2022’ from the Department of Youth Development, Ministry of Youth and Sports in recognition of her achievements.

By Ehsanul Habib
Stories
March 21, 2023

Technology empowers women in Bangladesh

In the northernmost part of Bangladesh, on the foothills of the Himalayas, a group of women in brightly-coloured headscarves walk along rows of equally vibrant tulips.

Supported by IFAD’s Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project, and co-financed by Danida, and PKSF, these women are part of a group of farmers who were provided with tulip bulbs and training on how to grow the flowers then market them online. After grading, cutting and packaging the flowers, they are sent to Dhaka for sale. In less than a year, the farmers have made close to 1 million BDT (just over US$ 9,000).

As the tulips bloomed, so did the local economy. Having spotted the tulip fields on social media, tourists began flocking to the picturesque place, generating business for local restaurants and accommodation.

 

Both the entrance fee to the tulip garden and flower orders can be paid using mobile money transfer and mobile banking, with many customers placing orders on WhatsApp and Messenger.

As her phone pings with a new order, flower grower Shumi Akter tells us how “the marketing and cashless money transfer system have boosted our confidence.”

But today’s success did not come easy—it required sacrifice and determination. “Many of our neighbours criticized us for cultivating tulips,” says flower farmer Sajeda Begum. The women’s success is shifting attitudes around gender norms and inspiring others to invest in this profitable venture. “Now, they are turning to us for advice on how to grow tulips.”

https://www.ifad.org/en/web/latest/-/from-tulips-to-tomatoes-technology-empowers-women-in-asia?p_l_back_url=%2Fen%2Fweb%2Flatest%2Fstories

By Ehsanul Habib
News & Events
February 19, 2023

Denmark Ambassador to Bangladesh visits tulip garden in Tetulia

Denmark Ambassador to Bangladesh H.E. Winnie Estrup Petersen visited a tulip garden at Tetulia in Panchagarh on 13 February 2023. Twenty flower growers of Dorjipara village welcomed the Ambassador with tulip flowers. IFAD Country Director of Bangladesh Arnoud Hameleers, PKSF Senior General Manager and Project Coordinator of RMTP Dr Akond Md Rafiqul Islam, ESDO Executive Director Dr Md Shahid Uz Zaman, and Tetulia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sohag Chandra Saha accompanied Ambassador Petersen during the visit.

Ambassador Petersen said, “I am delighted to see the tulip cultivation in Bangladesh. These kinds of flowers usually grow in countries with cold climates. I appreciated the farmers and the initiators for growing tulip in this remote area of Bangladesh. I hope that in the future they will expand the tulip cultivation and make it a profitable venture.”

Ambassador Petersen was delighted to learn that a tulip variety was named as Denmark Variety. She highly commended the efforts of the tulip growers, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), and the latter’s Partner Organization Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) through which a sub-project titled ‘Assess the feasibility of expanding tulip cultivation in the northern part of the country’ is being implemented.

IFAD Country Director Arnoud Hameleers spoke with the female flower growers. “I am amazed to see the tulip here in Dorjipara. I feel as if I am in my own home,” said the Dutch-born development leader. “Tulip can be a special flower for special day celebrations in Bangladesh. Tulip can strengthen the bond between Netherlands and Bangladesh friendship,” he added.

On 11 January 2023, the 20 farmers collectively sowed 1,00,000 tulip bulbs for cultivation on two acres of land. Last year, eight female farmers were engaged in tulip cultivation and they used 40,000 bulbs on 40 decimals of land in three separate places.

This season, the farmers planted 10 tulip varieties – Antarctica (white), Denmark (orange), Lalibela (red), Dutch Sunrise (yellow), Strong Gold (yellow), Zantupink (pink), White Marvel (white), Mystic van Eijk (pink), Happy Generation (white-red), and Golden Ticket (yellow).

Bengali media report on this event:

https://cutt.ly/d3R7fj3 

By Ehsanul Habib
Stories
February 13, 2023

Technology changed a life

Mithun (50), a marginal farmer, lives in Arjinaogaon Dakkin Para of Naogaon Sadar Upazila. Despite his age, this workaholic man did not give up on any work.

He has a house and a little fallow land. He could not meet the basic needs of his family members. In his family, there are five members including his wife, son, son’s wife, and grandson. He used to earn money by working on others’ land.

His wife is supportive and inspired him to do something. Mithun’s wife used to raise goats while Mithun cultivate grass in a small area. His son and wife always assisted him in this work.

He has been selected as an RMTP project participant of PKSF through its Partner Organization Dabi Moulik Unnayan Sangstha. He has received technical knowledge of high-value fodder cultivation and marketing through the “Market expansion of safe meat and dairy products” value chain sub-project. He follows all the suggestions, and leased 100 decimals of land. After a month and a half of planting grass, he started selling grass on the nearby farms. He bought two auto charger vans as there are huge demand for grass and the grass business become profitable. He also got acquainted with the meat and dairy farmers of the Naogaon and Bogura districts with the help of the project.

Now he earns BDT 3,600 daily by selling fodder of 100 decimals of leased land. He has purchased two electric tricycles to transport grass to the 60 dairy farms. Now he is a well-known fodder cultivator in his locality. Inspired by Mithun, there are 50 project participants who started the fodder business through the technical, and technological support of the RMTP project.

By Ehsanul Habib
Stories
December 28, 2022

Tulip farming opens new opportunity for farmers in Tetulia

Enterprising farmers in parts of Bangladesh are changing the landscape with colourful Tulip flowers. Thanks to their entrepreneurship tropical Bangladesh has for the first time joined the cold countries and regions like the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, and Kashmir (India) in growing spring-blooming flowers. In Bangladesh Tulips are being grown in Sariyaljot and Darjipara villages of Tetulia upazila of Panchagarh border during the winter. The Tulips grow best in full sun in the North and partial shade in the South. Tulip bulbs, pointed end up; need to be planted in well-drained soil with a pH between 6 and 7, according to experts. And this climate and soil can be found in Bangladesh too. And so Tulips have mesmerized the people of northern parts of Bangladesh this year.  Last year, in Gazipur, a local flower farmer Md Delowar Hossain cultivated Tulips for the first time in his garden. But now, the dazzling display of Tulips has now enveloped the landscape of the Northern parts of the country. 

How Tulips bloom in lands of Tetulia

Farmers in Sariyaljot and Darjipara villages of Tentulia said Tulip buds come in just 18 days of nurture and start blooming in 20-21 days. 

Agriculturists say this plant is a perennial and tuber species that belongs to the family Liliaceae. In the case of tulip flower cultivation, it is tolerant to 15 degrees Celsius during the daytime and 10 degrees Celsius at night. The buds of this flower come within 18-20 days from the day of planting and last for 25-60 days.  

A meeting with journalists was held on January 26 at Tetulia Mahananda Cottage on Eco-Social Development Organization’s (ESDO) value chain pilot project to determine the feasibility of expanding tulip flower cultivation in the northern part of the country. ESDO Senior Assistant Program Coordinator (APC) and Tulip Flower Cultivation Project Coordinator Md Ainul Haque discussed various aspects of the project.

He said the ESDO, a non-governmental development partner organization in collaboration with the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), and IFAD, under the Valuation Piloting Project to determine the feasibility of expanding tulip flower cultivation in the northern part of the country.

Around 40,000 bulbs brought from the Netherlands have been planted in three plots on 40 decimals of the land of eight marginal farmers of Sharialjot and Darjipara villages of Tetulia union of Tetulia upazila.

Tulip flower bulbs (seeds) were officially planted on January 1 this year in the presence of ESDO Executive Director Dr Muhammad Shahid Uz Zaman, Director (Administration) Selima Akhtar, and other officials of the Department of Agriculture.

“Besides the bulbs, we provided the farmers with free chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, husks, shade nets, and fencing nets. Besides, it has been developed by cultivating flowers in the hands of farmers,” said Project Coordinator Md Ainul Haque.

Flower growers here said that they planted tulips here in winter although it is a spring flower abroad.

Twelve varieties of tulips of different species have been cultivated under this pilot project in Tetulia. Among them–Antarctica (White), Dutch Sunrise (Yellow), Purple Prince (Purple), Timeless (Red White Shade), Milksake (Light Pink), Barcelona (Dark Pink), Ad Rem (Orange), Lalibela (Red), France (Red), Ripley (Orange), Denmark (Orange), Strong Gold (Yellow) and other species of tulips are in full bloom and new flowers are blooming in the gardens every day.

About a month after sowing the bulbs, Tulips started blooming. Many did not even imagine that foreign flowers would be cultivated in this region. 

The costs & potentials of Tulip farming

Due to low temperature in winter in Panchagarh district, there is huge potential for cultivation of tulips.

Mukta Begum, Anwara Begum, Sumi Akter, Ayesha Begum, Hosneara Begum, Monowara Begum, Morsheda Begum and Sajeda Begum, all female members of ESDO and farmers of Sharialjot and Darjipara villages of Tentulia, have proved that possibility.

They said the total cost of bulbs or seedlings, shed nets, fencing nets, chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, pesticides and labor costs is around Tk 30 to 32 lakh. The bulbs or seeds from the Netherlands were bought at Tk 61.80 per flower for the cultivation, said ESDO Senior Assistant Program Coordinator.

If 40,000 tulip flowers can be sold at the rate of Tk 100, the farmers will earn Tk 8 lakh in just two months from 40 decimals of land. At other times of the year, locals and exotic flowers can be cultivated in these lands. They have also created a small amusement park in the flower garden and introduced entrance fees for tourists and flower lovers. In this way, they can earn extra money without selling flowers, said the female flower growers.

Success in planting and growing tulips in Panchagarh as the Himalayan daughter or winter-prone region has raised the possibility of exporting tulips to meet the local demand in the future. They said they will cultivate tulips on about five decimals of land next year if they make a financial profit by selling flowers.

They also said that in the beginning they had unknown fears and anxieties but they succeeded in cultivating flowers by using their labour and talent on the advice of ESDO and Agriculture Department.

According to the farmers, the main obstacle in the cultivation of tulips is that the bulbs or seeds of these flowers are not available in Bangladesh. It costs a lot of money to bring these flower bulbs from abroad. “If we can import duty-free bulbs, the cultivation of this flower will increase. The farmers demanded easy supply of tulip bulbs at low prices, easy loans for floriculture and modern training,” said the farmers.

ESDO Executive Director Dr Muhammad Shahid Uz Zaman said, “We have taken several initiatives to market tulips. In the meantime, traders are being brought to the project area and contacted to buy flowers.”

“We believe that this will greatly increase the economic income and potential of marginal and small farmers in the days to come.”

In the same way, the tourism industry will further expand the existing natural beauty of Tetulia including Kanchenjunga and will be able to play a major role in socio-economic development of the region, he added.

Dr Akand Md Rafiqul Islam, senior general manager (Activities) of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), said PKSF have taken initiative to expand this flower cultivation not only in Tentulia but in the other districts in future. However, the challenge is to bring this tulip bulb from abroad. “We have also taken initiative to preserve these bulbs by setting up exclusive cold storage from the tulips that are currently cultivated,” the official added.

Source of the news:

https://cutt.ly/MM8oBeO

By admn_rmtp
News & Events
December 5, 2022

MoU signing for developing livestock sectors in the southern region of Bangladesh

PKSF and IFAD funded Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project’s implementing partner Grameen Jano Unnayan Sangstha (GJUS), and the Department of Microbiology and Public Health of Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PSTU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 05 December 2022.

Professor Dr. Farzana Islam Rumi, Chairman of the Microbiology and Public Health Department of PSTU, and Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman, Deputy Director (Technical) of GJUS signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.  

Under the MoU, the Microbiology and Public Health Department of PSTU and GJUS will work together to develop livestock sectors in the southern region of Bangladesh by applying modern research. 

In addition, PSTU will ensure the diagnosis of diseases in cattle and buffalo; play a significant role to produce safe food (milk, meat, and dairy products); and provide technical and technological training to the project participants and GJUS staff.    

Dr. Swadesh Chandra Samanta, the Vice-Chancellor of Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PSTU); Professor Dr. Farzana Islam Rumi, the Chairman of the Microbiology and Public Health Department of PSTU; Zakir Hossain Mohin, Executive Director of GJUS; and Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman, Deputy Director (Technical) of GJUS were present in the MoU signing ceremony.   

By Ehsanul Habib